Sheep, it's your lucky year

Xin nian kuai-le.

Like its Western counterpart, Chinese astrology is a divination of the future. Yet it isn't based upon monthly constellations, but as much on numerology as astronomy, and more complex. Elements of Chinese thought and ancient religion pervade - man and nature, the magic of 12, and yes, the planets. Yet the thread interweaving all this detail is the belief that, "all phenomena are a differentiation of one infinity."

Today, the Chinese New Year begins the year of the sheep (or goat). Look for more on the animals in Tuesday's column.

Most Westerners are somewhat familiar with the 12 animals corresponding to a 12-year cycle - in five repetitions totaling 60 years - of the Chinese zodiac, and are aware this calendar is lunar, not solar, so each new year begins on a different day. Each animal has its common characteristics, representing how others likely see us, but Chinese astrology is not so simple.

For example, based upon my year of birth I am the diplomatic sheep (so this is my lucky year). I am also Yin and the fire element - based upon the final digit of my year of birth (a 7), and my "inner" animal is a loyal dog, my birth month (10). It gets even more detailed; times of the day and month can introduce other influences on personality. And my planet is Mars.

You may have read that yin (female aspects) and yang (male aspects) are about balance, and ideally each person has aspects of both. If not, that person is believed to be out of balance, and may have health problems. Think of yin and yang not as opposites, but as two inseparable aspects of the same, illustrated by another principle in Chinese astrology and religion: "all antagonisms are complementary."

Yin and yang are also applied to the five Chinese elements - metal, water, wood, fire, earth - which modify the characteristics of the animal sign, affect qi ("chi" or essence).

1. Metal: Birth years ending in 0 - yang metal; ending in 1 - yin metal. Metal is associated with autumn, the color white, the respiratory system and lungs, self-reliance and persistence, and creature comforts. And the planet Venus.

2. Water: Birth years ending in 2 - yang water; ending in 3 - yin water. Water is associated with winter, black, the skeletal and excretory system, diplomacy, compassion, and flexibility. Planet: Mercury.

3. Wood: Birth years ending in 4 - yang wood; ending in 5 - yin wood. Wood is associated with spring, green, the liver and gall bladder, cooperation, growth-seeking, and idealism. Planet: Jupiter.

4. Fire: Birth years ending in 6 - yang fire; ending in 7 - yin fire. Fire is associated with summer, red, the circulatory system and heart, passion, restlessness, and leadership. And Mars.

5. Earth: Birth years ending in 8 - yang earth; ending in 9 - yin earth. Earth is associated with the change of seasons, yellow, the digestive system, patience, stability and service. And Saturn.

Note that because the lunar year begins typically the last few days of January or sometime in February, early births are assigned the previous Western calendar year. This newspaper's editor was born in mid-January, so while his Western birth year ends in 6, in Chinese astrology he corresponds to the 1955 sheep/goat (rather than the 1956 monkey), favors yin, and is a wood sign.

Inner animals, affecting love life and inner persona, are based upon lunar month and so vary by year (but roughly begin one to two months after Jan. 1, so my Oct. 23 would likely be early in the ninth month). Our editor is an ox. Inner animals in order of first to last lunar month are: tiger (February or so), rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, and ox (look for animal characteristics Tuesday).

Finally, a person's "secretive" animal, kept more hidden or more subconscious, is based upon the hour of birth, in two-hour increments. Keep in mind this is Beijing local time - 14 hours ahead of us now:

11 p.m. - 1 a.m. rat; 1 - 3 a.m. ox; 3 - 5 a.m. tiger; 5 - 7 a.m. rabbit; 7 - 9 a.m. dragon; 9 - 11 a.m. snake.

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. horse; 1 - 3 p.m. sheep; 3 - 5 p.m. monkey; 5 - 7 p.m. rooster; 7 - 9 p.m. dog; 9 - 11 p.m. pig.

These are just simplified drops in the large body of Chinese divination. For a chart of birth years since 1924, see Chinesezodiac.com/calculator.php.

Next time, a glance at each animal's personality traits from the Chinese zodiac perspective.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Send email to Sholeh@cdapress.com.